Gambling movies are generally dramatic since they have a risk element. There are a dozens of movies that revolve around gambling but listing them will take forever. In this article we are going to look at the 5 best gambling movies – or movies that have gambling contained within them.
Most of them cover the broad aspect of gambling related topics – from poker, blackjack, and rouletyte – essentially all of the best casino games out there,
Uncut Gems (2019)
One of the best films of last year, Uncut Gems come to the screen courtesy of the Safde brothers and is worth the admission price alone for Adam Sandler’s performance as New York-based jeweller Howard Ratner. Ratner is in deep with some big people, his gambling debts mounting up. However, Ratner has his eye on the big prize, a massive diamond that could set him straight with his creditors. Absolutely one of the most intense films we’ve ever seen.
Vegas Vacation (1997)
If you try and see it from a vacation movie angle then you will probably argue that it is not one of the best ‘vacation movies’. However, it’s still worth the watch to see Clark Griswold an co. take to the tables of Vegas for some more family hijinks. The film might be set before the masses took to gambling online at the best online casino America but there’s lots to enjoy here.
Casino (1995)
Martin Scorsese’s second masterpiece of the 1990s is this superb insight into the glory days of Vegas, particularly casino boss Sam ‘Ace’ Rothstein (Robert De Niro) and his taking over of the Tangiers. The film might be 25 years old but it still remains one of Scorsese’s best.
Rounders (1998)
This one is set around the world of high stakes poker and Matt Damon’s character, Mike McDermott, who must return to the tables to gamble in some huge games to pay off loan sharks – all this whilst trying to keep his girlfriend happy and hit his grades at law school. John Malkovich and Edward Norton also star.
The Gambler (1974)
The Gambler premiered all of the way back in 1974 based on a screenplay by James Toback. Over four decades on and the film remains as one of the best gambling movies of all time. James Caan plays the lead role in the movie as a gambler who simply cannot stop, owing money to his mother, girlfriend, and some really bad guys who are hot on his tail.
The Gambler remains one of the best movies of the first half of the 1970s and is well worth the watch purely for Caan’s performance. The film was also remade in 2014 with Mark Wahlberg in the Caan part and is well worth checking out too.
